How Many People Are Affected?

Ryanair Owes Air Passengers Millions

Summer strikes are piling up and so is the sum that Ryanair owes air passengers.

Remember, airline staff strikes are not considered “extraordinary circumstances.” That’s important because “extraordinary circumstances” typically mean that airlines don’t have to compensate passengers. Despite their earnest attempts to dodge the issue, Ryanair will have to pay up.

EU law, EC 261, explains that airlines owe their customers compensation for disruptions related to staff strikes. That financial compensation can total up to €600 per passenger.

Just a few weeks ago, Ryanair’s bill was already estimated at over €33 million. Today’s strikes will increase that number by another €21 million. That’s over €54 million!

If you or someone you know has been inconvenienced by one of these Ryanair strikes, you might be able to get some money back. It only takes a few minutes to check your compensation eligibility.

Update August 7, 2018

This summer, thousands of passengers have witnessed the frustration of disrupted or cancelled Ryanair flights, and it’s not over yet.

24-Hour Strike This Week

Make sure that you’re prepared because more strikes will be in full swing on Friday, August 10, 2018. This 24-hour strike includes pilots in Sweden, Belgium, and Ireland, with the potential of walkouts from Dutch and German pilots. 146 flights are said to be grounded, adversely affecting around 25,000 passengers.

Ryanair Ignores the Law But You Can Still Be Compensated

EU law, EC 261, protects air passengers and AirHelp has a team of lawyers ready to fight on your behalf to get you the money that you’re owed.

How You Can Claim

Check if your flight qualifies for compensation in a few simple steps. Remember, there’s no risk to you because AirHelp does not require you to pay out of pocket for our services. We will handle the process for you.

Update August 3, 2018

Ryanair pilots in Ireland are on a one-day strike on August 3, which has resulted in the cancellation of 20 flights between Dublin and Britain, affecting around 3,500 passengers.

Additional strikes are anticipated in Germany and the Netherlands, also for 10 August.

If your summer holiday plans are being destroyed by the Ryanair strikes, you can claim for compensation. Use our claim checker to find out what you are entitled to.

Ryanair Refuses to Follow the Law

The flight disruptions are the tip of the iceberg: Ryanair’s flat out refusal to compensate passengers for these ongoing delays and cancelations is robbing travelers of money that they are owed. Ryanair has gone public with their defiant position, but remember, the law is the law, even for Ryanair.

Just to be clear, there is no actual room for debate: EU legislation EC 261 requires airlines like Ryanair to pay air passengers compensation for these types of strikes because such strikes are not considered “extraordinary circumstances.”

Update July 25, 2018

“The Irish airline has cancelled a total of 600 flights on Wednesday and Thursday, requiring 100,000 passengers to find alternative travel or accept a full refund,” reports The Independent.

Delayed or Canceled Flight with Ryanair? You Can Get Compensation!

Ryanair’s recent actions are symptomatic of a larger issue at hand, namely evading legal statutes and putting travelers in a pinch. Certain airlines simply object to paying passengers who are rightfully owed money for delayed, canceled, or overbooked flights.

As a traveler, you do not have to take this and you have options. You can file a claim and still get paid. Ryanair will most likely keep fighting this battle, but we have expert lawyers too, and we are happy to fight for you in court and for your right to compensation.

July 09, 2018

With the summer travel season in full swing, travellers should know about an impactful Ryanair staff strike that may affect their journeys.

Starting on July 12, 2018, staff members from the budget airline, Ryanair, will strike. In fact, nearly 100 Ryanair pilots are slated to participate in the walkout.

Word has it that this airline strike won’t be an isolated incident this summer. Ryanair cabin crews are going to strike too, and they’ll strike across different countries.

What is this Ryanair strike all about?

Ryanair has failed to deliver viable solutions to ongoing requests from their staff for better working conditions. An agreement with the pilots’ unions in Ireland has also not been reached, and therefore, Ryanair staff members will protest this inaction.

Flight attendant unions, as well as a union for German pilots, Vereinigung Cockpit, have also not reached an agreement.

These setbacks may lead to additional strikes across Europe if the situation is not resolved by the end of July.

What should travellers expect?

No doubt, travel within Europe will be affected. At one of the busiest travel times of the year, air passengers may face:

Uncertainty in flight schedules

Planned and unplanned strikes

Delays

Cancellations

What do Ryanair strikes mean for summer travellers?

If you already have an existing flight booked with Ryanair, understand that you have rights.

New Ruling Regarding Strikes

Strikes were formerly categorized as “extraordinary circumstances” because they were deemed beyond the control of the airline.

While some extraordinary circumstances such as adverse weather conditions, political unrest or acts of terrorism, medical emergencies, and the like still fall into this camp, an updated ruling changes the game for strikes.

In April of this year, the European Court of Justice ruled that airline staff strikes cannot be considered as “extraordinary circumstances.”

Why is this new ruling regarding airline strikes important?

Traditionally, extraordinary circumstances pardoned airlines from paying out compensation for certain events that were regarded as beyond their control.

With the updated legislation, when airline staff members strike, you could be eligible for compensation.

What can air passengers do if they booked a Ryanair flight?

If you have already booked a flight with Ryanair, here are three things worth doing:

1. Regularly check your flight status

Because flights may experience haphazard delays, plan accordingly. Be prepared for longer lines and delays that may cause extended time spent in the airport.

2. Know that a delay (of 2 or more hours) means that the airline needs to provide you with certain things

In the event of delays that span more than two hours (flights with an affected distance of more than 1,500 km), the operating airline must provide passengers at the airport with meals and drinks with the option of making two phone calls or sending two faxes or e-mails.

This is to be claimed directly with the airline

3. Understand that a delay (of 5 or more hours) means you can get a refund for your ticket

If your flight is delayed by more than five hours, the airline is obligated to issue you a refund for the full price of the ticket

This is to be claimed directly with the airline

Above all, remember that flight cancellations and delays may entitle passengers (on flights to Europe on a European carrier or from Europe with any airline) to compensation of up to 600 EUR per person.

What can travellers do to avoid Ryanair strikes?

If you’re planning upcoming travel and haven’t booked any tickets yet, keep impactful events like airline strikes in mind as you make travel plans.

AirHelp is here to help you understand your air passenger rights because we are a community of travellers and we want to be part of the solution to achieve more seamless travel.

Flight delays happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept them. You may be entitled to as much as $700 in compensation if your flight has been delayed, cancelled, or overbooked within the last three years.